Healthcare Insurance

[jnp73]

Has anyone got any recommendations for healthcare insurance providers, who would look at over 70's and emergency cover for pre-existing conditions. private rooms not necessary, just good quatity care.

Thanks

[JoePai]

34 minutes ago, jnp73 said:

Has anyone got any recommendations for healthcare insurance providers, who would look at over 70's and emergency cover for pre-existing conditions. private rooms not necessary, just good quatity care.

Thanks

I used these people in Thailand to help me though the minefield that is Thai Medical Insurance and was very happy with them  https://www.aainsure.net/pattaya-ps.html 

[scubascuba3]

Government hospitals are your best bet

[CharlieH]

Talk to AA Insurance Brokers—offices in various locations.

 

 

[Sheryl]

AA Brokers nowadays will only offer Thai issued policies. Few Thai insurers will enroll at age 70+ and none will cover pre-existing conditions.

 

There are international expat policies that will enroll at age>70 but these also will not cover pre-existing conditions.

 

@jnp73 2 questions:

(1) what exactly are your pre-existing conditions?

(2) Do you live year round in Thailand? As if not, a travel policy might be better, some of them will cover "acute exacerbations" of pre-existing conditions.

[The Fugitive]

24 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Government hospitals are your best bet

Agree! OP says 'private rooms not necessary'. However, probably wouldn't want to be treated on a public ward in a Thai Government hospital. Private rooms are available at 1,000 baht per day. 

[jnp73]

@SherylI have COPD and heart failure. I live in Thailand all year round. 

[Sheryl]

13 minutes ago, jnp73 said:

@SherylI have COPD and heart failure. I live in Thailand all year round. 

Unfortunately then you will not be able to get insurance from any company, Thai or foreign.

 

Best option is to self-insure by putting aside money for that purpose. Not less than 1 million baht if using only government hospitals, 3-5 million if using private. And have some plan for how you will replenish these amounts after use.

[jnp73]

Hi @Sheryl SBC Insurance are offering cover with limited cover for pre-existing conditions. Do you know them?

John

[Sheryl]

32 minutes ago, jnp73 said:

Hi @Sheryl SBC Insurance are offering cover with limited cover for pre-existing conditions. Do you know them?

John

They are a broker, not an insurer.

 

I think you will find that you are turned down for a policy.

 

I have yet to see anyone with these conditions get cover.

 

While you are very very unlikely to be able to get health insurance, you could  get personal accident insurance that includes medical cover for accidents. The amount of medical cover tends to be low,  but  is better than nothing. 

 

You'll still need to put significant funds aside for healht care from non-accidental causes.

[jnp73]

Thanks for the info. 

Regards

John

[PaoloR]

Many companies will either refuse to insure you once you are over 70 - or put so many restrictions on your policy as to make the insurance inadequate.

Not useful for the OP but if you apply at 69 you can get cover well past 70

I got 20 years (until 89) with not much in the way of restrictions with Thai Life.

Downside is all the documentation is in Thai and there's a whole book to translate!

If you are approaching 70 do it now - the company admitted they would have declined to insure me if I had applied and not completed the policy before my 70th birthday; stating "those are our rules".

[RetiredNavy71]

23 hours ago, jnp73 said:

@SherylI have COPD and heart failure. I live in Thailand all year round. 

How about sleep apnea and I'm 71?

[Andycoops]

My insurance company Pacific Cross insures upto 99.

[georgegeorgia]

4 hours ago, RetiredNavy71 said:

How about sleep apnea and I'm 71?

Why did you declare it ?

[scubascuba3]

20 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

My insurance company Pacific Cross insures upto 99.

When do you think they will out price you? 75?

[richard_smith237]

I've just had a look at Pacific Cross, and any incident I've every had (i.e. torn ligaments, torn meniscus, ruptured tendon etc) have all been excluded (excluded both ankles, even though the issue was with one of them).

 

I wonder if they'd exclude anything related to the leg or the arm if I had a previous break !!! 

 

Needless to say - Pacific Cross is not going to be my next provider !

 

 

 

[The Fugitive]

5 hours ago, PaoloR said:

Many companies will either refuse to insure you once you are over 70 - or put so many restrictions on your policy as to make the insurance inadequate.

Not useful for the OP but if you apply at 69 you can get cover well past 70

I got 20 years (until 89) with not much in the way of restrictions with Thai Life.

Downside is all the documentation is in Thai and there's a whole book to translate!

If you are approaching 70 do it now - the company admitted they would have declined to insure me if I had applied and not completed the policy before my 70th birthday; stating "those are our rules".

Sounds good, thanks for the info. I can confirm that Thai Life (their Life Insurance that is) do pay out and do so quickly. My Thai wife took out Life Insurance with them to cover her Mum's funeral costs. When she died two years ago they paid out immediately. On the strength of that, my wife has since taken out policies on both myself and her uncle. I obtained a quote for health insurance from SBC (brokers). I declared my pre-existing conditions. They replied; 'we can cover you'. However, no mention of exclusions and the premium remained the same. I got back to SBC (brokers) and they said they would have to check with the company. When they got back to me they said pre-existing conditions would be excluded. I wasn't happy with the evasive nature of their communications.  

[scubascuba3]

23 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I've just had a look at Pacific Cross, and any incident I've every had (i.e. torn ligaments, torn meniscus, ruptured tendon etc) have all been excluded (excluded both ankles, even though the issue was with one of them).

 

I wonder if they'd exclude anything related to the leg or the arm if I had a previous break !!! 

 

Needless to say - Pacific Cross is not going to be my next provider !

 

 

 

I'm surprised they don't exclude things once you claim on them, maybe they do

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I'm surprised they don't exclude things once you claim on them, maybe they do

 

That seems to be the case...  Ever had a headache ?...   anything head 'related' is excluded !!

 

I've had a lot of sports injuries over the years...  Pacific Cross are excluding anything that might ever go wrong.. 

I understand that its business - nevertheless, I'm moving from 'company insurance' which covers 100% of everything (IPD OPD) no questions asked, to paying myself and facing a load of exclusions from past injuries !

[phetphet]

OP. Even if you do manage to find an insurer, at 70 wth your conditions, the price they charge you might be too exorbitant to even contemplate.

I have just renewed mine...66 y.o. USD 5525

[RetiredNavy71]

11 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Why did you declare it ?

I haven't declared anything.  I live in the US and merely joining in this conversation 

[Andycoops]

On 1/8/2025 at 4:49 PM, scubascuba3 said:

When do you think they will out price you? 75?

I don't care because I have more than enough to cover it, 555

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

I don't care because I have more than enough to cover it, 555

 

Who can access that if you are incapacitated or in a coma ???

 

The most common answer to this is a flippant response of 'just let me die' - which side steps the intricacies of carrying ID and Insurance cover. 

 

This raises the question of 'proof' - i.e. if a person is covered (or not) and the 'hospital' is somewhat mercenary in its approach to treatment, how does an incapacitated person prove they have cover ?

 

This highlights the importance of carrying an Insurance card, or having close friends (and / or family) who can advice the hospitals of payment information.

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

23 hours ago, phetphet said:

OP. Even if you do manage to find an insurer, at 70 wth your conditions, the price they charge you might be too exorbitant to even contemplate.

I have just renewed mine...66 y.o. USD 5525

 

This is why I would like to see an option whereby long term residents (i.e. those on Non-Imm Retirement / Marriage Visas can 'pay into' the National Healthcare system to ensure continued treatment.

 

IMO - at the moment this is a huge gap in any retirement plan. 

[Andycoops]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Who can access that if you are incapacitated or in a coma ???

 

The most common answer to this is a flippant response of 'just let me die' - which side steps the intricacies of carrying ID and Insurance cover. 

 

This raises the question of 'proof' - i.e. if a person is covered (or not) and the 'hospital' is somewhat mercenary in its approach to treatment, how does an incapacitated person prove they have cover ?

 

This highlights the importance of carrying an Insurance card, or having close friends (and / or family) who can advice the hospitals of payment information.

 

 

 

 

My company gives me a credit card sized card with the policy and contact details on which I carry in my small wallet with my ID card, ATM card etc

 

Their is also a laminated copy of my photo passport page in it too.

 

Someone only has to open it and they have all the information they need in case of any incapacitation.

[JoePai]

On 1/7/2025 at 10:57 AM, Sheryl said:

AA Brokers nowadays will only offer Thai issued policies. Few Thai insurers will enroll at age 70+ and none will cover pre-existing conditions.

 

There are international expat policies that will enroll at age>70 but these also will not cover pre-existing conditions.

 

But unfortunately you will not get local help from a Broker in Thailand as it is illegal for any Thai based Broker to sell International policies - any dealing/claims with them will have to be direct by oneself to the Insurance Company

[Sheryl]

32 minutes ago, JoePai said:

But unfortunately you will not get local help from a Broker in Thailand as it is illegal for any Thai based Broker to sell International policies - any dealing/claims with them will have to be direct by oneself to the Insurance Company

Or just use an overseas broker, which is what I do.

[Sheryl]

On 1/8/2025 at 5:40 PM, phetphet said:

OP. Even if you do manage to find an insurer, at 70 wth your conditions, the price they charge you might be too exorbitant to even contemplate.

I have just renewed mine...66 y.o. USD 5525

That seems a bit high, do you have any deductible?

 

At 71, with an excellent international policy, my premium was 4,800. That is with a $500 deductible, and inpatient only (but including day surgeries and outpatient cancer care/dialysis).

[newbee2022]

On 1/7/2025 at 9:30 AM, jnp73 said:

Has anyone got any recommendations for healthcare insurance providers, who would look at over 70's and emergency cover for pre-existing conditions. private rooms not necessary, just good quatity care.

Thanks

Riding a dead horse: yes.

It's WRLife. Since I had a long phone call with Patrick, the CEO, and he sent me the Organigram of this insurance I've no doubt WRlife offers you a good Health Insurance for an affordable price.